RIDOT engineer caught dozing on job

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A Target 12 undercover investigation reveals a veteran Rhode Island Department of Transportation worker spending many afternoons sleeping, eating and reading while in the parking lot of his DOT field office.

Kevin Coulombe, an engineering technician for the DOT, can be seen in the undercover video reading suspense novels and sleeping behind the wheel of his personal car, all steps away from the East Providence field office he's assigned to.

Coulombe, who has been with the state agency since 1984, is assigned to the nearby Barrington Bridge project – which was $11 Million over budget and took twice as long as expected.

The video also reveals his apparent downtime is no office secret; on two occasions a co-worker came out to speak with Coulombe while he was seated in his car.

Target 12 went undercover for approximately three weeks in March. Coulombe's pattern was the same: he would get behind the wheel of his Jeep Wrangler at approximately noon and remain parked at the DOT field office until about 3:30 p.m. Officials at the Department of Transportation confirm that is when Coulombe's shift ends.

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A spokeswoman with the DOT said Coulombe's job is to inspect materials used in road and bridge projects. Along with the Barrington Bridge, Coulombe also works on the nearby Warren Bridge project.

Requests to interview Coulombe and his supervisor were denied by the DOT, instead spokeswoman Dana nolfe released this statement:

"The DOT takes pride in upholding the highest standard of work ethic for all of its employees. The issue you raised has been referred to RIDOT's Human Resources Office. They will review the evidence, follow all State rules and regulations, and then make a determination in this personnel matter."

After the statement was issued, Target 12 caught up with Coulombe sitting behind the wheel of his car. When asked why he spends hours in his personal car, he stated he is "parked on the job."

Coulombe repeated the same answer when he was asked what he does for three hours a day in his car. He then told us to speak to his supervisor before rolling up the window to his car, ending the interview.